Group Molt

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Tue Dec 23, 2014 11:09 pm

I have never had all my crabs down at once before. They all dug down at different times and my tank has felt empty for weeks. How do you guys deal with this? It feels like im looking after dirt and plastic toys.

YYWW · Post by **YYWW** » Wed Dec 24, 2014 1:13 am

Been there. I bought more crabs

THEY DUG UNDER TOO!

so i made crafts to go into the tank out of packing straps and glow in the dark gimp. By the time i made enough "bridges" one crab came up. I enjoyed the crab like a hummingbird in space. He was the only crab for like 2 weeks. Then one other crab came up. It looked like they were lost at sea. Just drifting along in this tank. Eventually everyone was goin up n down, eating, swimming, and a whoooole lotta digging.
Right now i'm unbuilding and rebuilding my 75g, so 4 are crammed into a 25g. The shortage of space makes everyone very active. But i would actually prefer that they are comfy in a big, spacious tat than clamoring and cramped.

Crabbers unite!!!

Crabinski · Post by **Crabinski** » Wed Dec 24, 2014 12:12 pm

I have just 5 crabs and all but one are underground, Felix and Harry for about 6 weeks now

. The little fella who's up is one of the recent adoptees and all he does is sleep by the UTH and eat. Never thought I'd say this but I miss Felix! He's my whirlwind guy, always out during the day, climbing, creating havoc and being the King of the Tank. So quiet but maybe someone will come up by New Years.

hermieluv1 · Post by **hermieluv1** » Thu Dec 25, 2014 5:01 am

Here is what I do:

Buy crabs, insert in tank, enjoy for a few days until they all go under.

Buy more crabs. Upgrade to bigger tank, move New crabs over. Enjoy for a few days until THEY go down.

Buy more crabs. Buy BIGGER tank.

Repeat, repeat, repeat!

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Thu Dec 25, 2014 10:30 pm

Haha, i like the craft ideas! Unfortunately i dont think the buying more crabs and upgrading will work for me. (as much as i would like it to).

But i just got home after being gone for one night, a night it finally snowed, and then i checked the heat in my tank and it was at 65F in the middle of the tank which is NOT okay with me at all. (Granted thats the coldest part and they are all dug under but still! Not okay!)

So i think my new project is finding a way to keep it warm during snow days, i have 4 UTHs, a moon bulb, and tinfoil/cardboard on all sides but the front and the back.

Any suggestions?

I was thinking more UTHs but would that really be effective if they only keep it 10 degrees warmer than the external temperature?

YYWW · Post by **YYWW** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 1:21 am

I just made another suggestion to your thread about your heat issue. ULTRATHERRRRRRM!
ULTRATHERM CRABBERS UNITE!

Crabbers unite!!!

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 1:35 am

Just saw it thank you very much i really appreciate it =)

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:21 pm

I just put that blanket around the tank, but my gosh this group molt thing sucks. The tank is just ominously empty like it was when two of my crabs escaped. It makes me so nervous that they did it again ;(

gotta-crab-em-all · Post by **gotta-crab-em-all** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:28 am

Mine almost always pull mass molts. It makes it that much more exciting when they show up again!

What size tank are you trying to heat, by the way? Certain sized tanks gave me SO much heating trouble!

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:12 pm

This one is a 40g breeder. i am pretty sure half the tank is at an acceptable temp no matter what but then when it gets cold about half of it starts to cool down, the mylar blanket helped and i have an ultratherm on the way

gotta-crab-em-all · Post by **gotta-crab-em-all** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:48 pm

I hope the ultratherm helps! I went from a 29 to a 55, so I cant give advice from experience on heating a 40. Most people seem to have good luck with ultratherms though~

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:10 pm

For hermit crabs should the ultratherms go on the outside just like the zoo med UTHs?

moonbeam · Post by **moonbeam** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:14 am

ErikRasmussen wrote:For hermit crabs should the ultratherms go on the outside just like the zoo med UTHs?

Yep.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ErikRasmussen · Post by **ErikRasmussen** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:42 am

They are still at it.

YYWW · Post by **YYWW** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:04 pm

I watched one of my crabs dig aroubd for 2 weeks after molting. He would make windows in the middle of the night. I shined my flashlight on him and could see his new colors and hairy legs. It was also his second molt with me. When he finally came up, ever so leisurely and slowly, i snatched him right up to go into the big tank.
Maybe if you get a stethescope onto the glass you can hear them digging around at night

Crabbers unite!!!

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

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